Trust the green, buy the green: how ESG marketing shapes brand attitude and trust toward green purchase intentions among Vietnam’s Gen Z consumers

The growing prominence of Environmental, Social, and Governance marketing has become central to engaging younger consumers; however, its impact in emerging markets remains insufficiently explored. This study investigates how ESG dimensions shape the green purchase intentions of Vietnamese Generation Z consumers by integrating the Stimulus-Organism-Response framework with the Theory of Planned Behavior. Based on a survey of 394 consumers in Vietnam, the findings reveal that Environmental and Social Dimension significantly enhance both brand trust and brand attitude, whereas Governance Dimension primarily strengthens brand trust. Furthermore, brand trust and brand attitude serve as key mediators linking ESG efforts to green purchase intention. The analysis also shows that green skepticism weakens the effect of Environmental initiatives on brand trust, while green self-efficacy amplifies the influence of ESG on brand attitude. These results contribute valuable theoretical insights and managerial implications for firms to design ESG strategies that promote sustainable consumption among Generation Z.